Creating a balanced schedule

[Anonymous]

DD is torn. She’s trying to decide between APES and an honors science elective. She’s not a science kid. A big concern with taking APES is she would then be in six AP classes. Three of them are social studies so I’ve encouraged her to drop one but they’re all classes she wants to take and they’re all very different. I think she would rather take the honors elective but is worried about not having a balanced schedule (no language class after level 5 and no AP science). What would the impact be on admissions? Her counselor (who is wonderful) just said “don’t make decisions based on what you think colleges want” which is great advice but, of course, these decisions do impact admissions. Should she take the honors class instead of the AP, take six APs, or drop one of the social studies APs she’s interest in?

[Anonymous]

Are you making this schedule for next year? Is DC a junior now?

[Anonymous]

What is her unweighted GPA?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you making this schedule for next year? Is DC a junior now?

Junior. Schedules are due after break.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is her unweighted GPA?

3.9

[Anonymous]

^ then, yes. Let her sign up for the harder, hardest schedule.

[Anonymous]

No. That is not healthy. She us still a teenager.

Drop whichever AP is furthest from her career/major interest. Trust me, it will be fine.

[Anonymous]

Is science needed senior year for a kid who isn’t interested in science and has completed bio, Chem and physics?

[Anonymous]

Are any of the social studies APs psychology or human geo? If so the workloads in those are no different to an mcps honors class. So I wouldn’t sweat adding APES, especially since that, too, is not considered one of the more challenging APs (meaning I would be fine with my kid doing it).

[Anonymous]

My kids loaded up on all this and now that they’re in college, it is all so meaningless. I (and they) wish that we wouldn’t have gotten so caught up in it.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, counselor's advice sounds well intentioned, but not helpful.

[Anonymous]

go back and ask the counselor if you follow her adivce will she check off "did this student take the most rigorous courses available". That is critical if you are aiming for top schools. If not, then irrelevant

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids loaded up on all this and now that they’re in college, it is all so meaningless. I (and they) wish that we wouldn’t have gotten so caught up in it.

I'm a PP, not OP. I know in my heart this is true. But, when most other hs students are in an AP race, yours feels (and is right) that s/he has to take a full load of APs to be competitive for whatever colleges your DC are probably now attending!